Ingrid was on the floor, staring at an old and yellowish paper in her hand, filled with words written in unfamiliar language. But her mind had long wandered from the content of the paper that she had failed to decipher towards the conversion she had with her father this morning.

According to the official report, her mother died in her sleep. She never once questioned the truthfulness of it. But turns out it was a lie they concocted in order to hide the truth.

But Ingrid did not doubt nor blame her father for lying. She was sure that her father was pushed by the circumstances to make such a decision.

The assailant was never caught. If it was found that her mother was killed in their own bedroom, her father would be the first to be suspected. Regardless of the truth, those vile nobles would never miss the chance to use her mother's murder to destroy her father. And perhaps that was the murderer's objective as well.

Ingrid stared at the papers scattered on the floor. Her head made a soft 'tak' as she leaned on the wooden frame of her bed. She had been trying to decipher the words written on the paper for several hours now, but she hasn't translated a single word. Ingrid rubbed her weary eyes in frustration.

"Seriously mother, how do you expect me to read your letters if you write them in foreign words?" she muttered in complaint.

But perhaps her mother didn't expect to leave her so early. She must've thought that she'd live long enough to teach Ingrid the language she used to write her letters.

Ingrid sighed and opened another dictionary in hopes of finding the right language that matched her mother's letters.

"I never expect my lady to be up in such an hour."

Ingrid jumped in surprise. Her eyes instantly moved towards the dark corner where Prince Aleric was slowly revealed.

"A week still hasn't passed," she stated rather calmly, betraying her shaken heart.

Prince Aleric casually grabbed a chair close to him and sat.

Ingrid's mind flashed back to a week ago. Back then, he sat in that same chair with the same obscure gaze. She prided herself on her capabilities in reading people's expressions, but reading the prince was a challenge for her. It was as though his emotions were hidden behind several layers of masks, making it harder to identify the real one.

"I was having a midnight stroll when I caught the light in your room still burning. I was curious as to what could stop my lady from taking her beauty sleep and came," Prince Aleric explained with a shameless smile.

Ingrid frowned. Her palace is surrounded by giant walls. To be able to see the light inside her room, was he strolling at the sky?

Prince Aleric waved his hand, and the darkness moved. Like a dutiful servant, the darkness picked the paper closest to Prince Aleric's and handed it to him.

Ingrid was startled at the sight of the darkness moving, and her body froze. One terrible experience after the other had taught her how scary the darkness is. To see one moving like it had a mind of its own just made her nightmare an even more fearful monster.

Prince Aleric's brow furrowed. "Why are you using modern language to translate an ancient text?"

"Uh..." Ingrid tried to open her mouth to speak, but no words came out of her mouth.

Prince Aleric waved his hand, and the scattered paper on the floor flew up in the air. He was so engrossed in his discovery that he didn't notice the poor lady's pale face.

Ingrid gasped when the paper in her hand was snatched. But she was too afraid to make a sound.

The darkness stacked the paper neatly before handing it to Prince Aleric.

"Where did you find this?" Prince Aleric asked as he went over the papers in his hand. He glanced over Ingrid and finally noticed the fear-stricken face of the lady.

Prince Aleric quickly dropped the stack of paper in his hand and rushed to her side.

"Go away!"

Prince Aleric stopped on his track, stunned as he saw her cowering even more. His eyes shifted towards the darkness that stood beside him like a shadow.

Prince Aleric opened his palm and sucked the darkness until there was nothing left. Then slowly he walked towards Ingrid, closely watching any changes in her reaction. Only after he saw her gradually relax in his presence did he carefully help her onto the bed and keep his distance.

Ingrid took a series of deep breaths to calm herself, her trembling hands clenching tightly on the bedsheets.

"Forgive me, my lady. I didn't realize you were afraid of the darkness."

"I-I'm fine. What was it you were saying about my mother's letter?"

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It was obvious she was trying to shift the topic. But Prince Aleric did not bother to point it out. Their relationship isn't to the point of sharing secrets and he respects that.

"These letters were written in the same language as those we found in the pillar in the Palace of Arquez."

Ingrid's eyes went wide in disbelief. "You mean..."

Prince Aleric smiled. "It is the language used by the Amalgams."

"Then can your highness translate it?" Ingrid asked expectantly.

Prince Aleric shook his head.

"But I know someone who can. However, in order to summon that person, I will need to borrow one of these." He took one of the papers and handed Ingrid the rest by hand.

"What for?"

Prince Aleric stood and smiled ambiguously. "Bait for the hermit crab."

Prince Aleric walked towards the corner where he first appeared. "I shall no longer impose upon your sleep. I shall see you in a week—no, two days time. Good night, wife."

With that, he vanished.

Ingrid's cheeks flushed upon realizing what he just called her. "Whose your wife?" she grumbled while glaring angrily at the corner.

//////////|

Two days passed in a flash.

Ingrid stood by the window, watching the clear blue sky.

With the issue about her mother's letter currently set aside, she had plenty of time to think about her issue with the prince of Aradhya. Though his father gave her the freedom to choose whom to marry, that is on the account that she loved the man, and the man loves her in response.

"You must have been waiting."

Ingrid no longer needs to turn to know who it was. She closed the only open curtain left and, with a steely resolve, sat across Prince Aleric.

Prince Aleric did not waste any time and handed Ingrid a piece of document, which the latter instantly began reading.

Prince Aleric's several demands were written on the first page. One of which is giving him at least an heir and a spare.

Ingrid blushed upon reading it. She may be inexperienced when it comes to the affair between men and women. But books have taught her enough to know what kind of deed needs to be done to create children.

Embarrassed, she quickly skimmed through the rest of the demands written by the prince, afraid that her thoughts would be made known. However, her brow raised when she reached the part about a list of empress lessons and duties she is required to handle.

Ingrid looked at Aleric with curiosity. "How come you're addressed as a prince if you are the crown prince?"

"Crown Prince Aleric is too mouthy," he answered lazily. "It doesn't matter anyway. No matter my title, that crown is still mine."

Ingrid pursed her lips. His arrogance indeed knows no bounce. She shook her head and continued reading.

However, upon reading all of his demands, Ingrid realized that they were all nonsense! They weren't demands; they were more like the rules and responsibilities of a wife and an empress!

Furthermore, even after reading the entire thing, there was no written demand for her to convince her father to join his war. She flipped through the second page, but it was already about her spousal benefits.

"You're giving the Palace of Arquez to me?" Ingrid asked in surprise.

"As a descendant of the Amalgam, it is rightfully yours."

"But why is the rest of the page empty?"

"Upon writing the contract, my aid and I realized that we know none of your demands. Therefore, you are free to write whatever demand you wish as long as it is within my means."

Ingrid was at a loss for a moment. This was far from what she expected, so she did not think of any.

Prince Aleric waited patiently while Ingrid struggled to formulate her marital demands. That cunning Vernon's prior dissuasion of Aleric's inquiry had yielded the exact result he'd planned. Without any time to think, Ingrid wouldn't be able to make excessive demands.

"Then, you are not allowed to have any other woman in the inner palace apart from me."

Prince Aleric was taken aback. His lips jerked upward as he looked at Ingrid with a newfound curiosity.

"And may I know the reason?"

Ingrid answered with a lifted chin, "I don't like sharing a man with another woman. Besides, in this world I'm the most beautiful. If my man takes in another woman, wouldn't that be an insult?"

Prince Aleric smiled and flicked his finger. Ingrid watched, amazed as the quill moved and began writing several words on the empty space of the contract, not realizing that a thin thread of darkness was controlling the quill. She felt a bit jealous watching it. If she had such powers, she could probably do a lot of things, like getting the books on the top shelves without needing a ladder.

For a moment, Ingrid forgot that she has thousands of maids waiting on her hands and feet.

"What else?"

"You are not allowed to let my father die during the war."

Prince Aleric raised his brow.

"I understand that in a war, life and death are uncertain. However, you must protect my father at all costs."

"I don't think that will be necessary. But as you wished."

Ingrid sighed in relief. She knew that it was she herself that pushed her father into this war. Having his assurance relieved her a bit.

Her gut was telling her that disaster would ensue had she not agreed to this barbaric prince's marriage proposal. Had she rejected him, Prince Aleric would most likely resort to using the imperial family to control the grand duke. But knowing her father, the chances of him starting a civil war instead of following the imperial family's command are higher. In fact, all these years, her father was preparing to stage a coup in the case that the imperial family crossed their bounds a second time.

Perhaps Prince Aleric had a certain awareness of Grand Duke Rasmus' steadfast personality too. That's why he chose to go through Ingrid with his plan rather than the imperial family.

"Is there anything else?"

"Yes, whatever happens, you must never abandon me. You must protect me no matter the cost."

There was a flash of fear in Ingrid's eyes as she spoke. As her coming of age drew nearer, she felt this dark foreboding drawing closer. Not to mention those people who killed her mother. She didn't know why, but she kept getting the feeling that those people were also after her life.

"My lady, what kind of husband would abandon his wife? And haven't I sworn to you already? No harm will come your way as long as you are with me."

Ingrid glared at Prince Aleric. "What do you mean husband and wife? We still have another problem. I'm only allowed to marry a man I love and love me."

"And?"

"The only way my father would allow our marriage without any bloodshed is to make him believe we are enamored for each other. And my father would never believe me if I suddenly said that I wanted to marry you, regardless of whether I said it was out of love. My father knew that there is not a man in this world that could catch my attention in an instance."

Ingrid's words were bold and arrogant. But because it was the woman with a face no other in the world could match that spoke, it sounded more like words of confidence than arrogance.

"I expected that much. The grand duke is said to be a very attentive and observant father." Prince Aleric crossed his legs. "So what do you propose?"

Ingrid bit the inner skin of her mouth in annoyance. How was this her problem? He’s the one who wanted this marriage; he should be the one finding a solution!